Some put a lot of stock in Kiper. I found online where some ESPN "Insider" posted his "Big Board. Here it is:

1. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

If you don't know about Luck, Kiper sums it up pretty nicely, "poise, a big arm and smarts". He is everything you look for in a QB prospect and there are a handful of QB-hungry teams that would love to get their hands on him.

2. Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

Coming out of high school Bowers was a super-blue-chip prospect and he finds himself in that seat once again. His size, speed and motor make him the prototypical hand-in-the-ground defensive end.

3. A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

Scouts have been raving about how well Green does the finer things. His routes and body control make it easier on the QB and he has elite size.

4. Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

Peterson caught the spotlight with his punt returns but he is battle tested. Throughout his college career he's faced NFL talent in the SEC at both the WR and QB positions.

5. Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

Some see the gap between Amukamara and Peterson further apart than Kiper has it. Prince's stats are down this year due to the respect he's earned for his cover skills.

6. Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn

Fairley is a big man who gets in the backfield. Due to the impact a penetrating DT can have, Kiper's nemesis Todd McShay thinks Fairley will got second overall at this time.

7. Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas

Kiper places big value on QBs in his rankings which is why he has three in his top 10. Of those QBs Mallett is a pocket-passer on steroids--his bowl game and pre-draft workouts will secure him a spot in the top 10 on draft day.

8. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

Some have major problems with Kiper putting Newton in the top 10 but I like it. Even though he only has one year as a starter he is a driven winner and a much better passer than he's getting credit for. Huge size helps too.

9. Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

Playing on a big stage since his HS days, Jones has rarely disappointed. He's big, but can do work underneath and is very difficult to bring down.

10. Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama

Dareus has been steady all season on Kiper's Big Board. He is "solid" but in the top half of the first round teams are looking for more. A big plus is his ability to fit in multiple fronts.

11. Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina

Scouts like Kiper have been relatively easy on Quinn despite missing the entire season. He needs to stand-out at the combine to prove the past year hasn't been wasted.

12. Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue

Kerrigan is one of the lesser known names, but he is very deserving of his spot on Mel's Big Board. The Boilermaker has been ultra-productive and he is a good fit on the edge in any front.

13. Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M

3-4 teams might see Miller and Kerrigan as interchangeable, but Von doesn't project as strong for 4-3 teams, which is why he is one spot lower. Great college football pass-rusher though, production matters.

14. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

He got the love at the awards banquets, but Blackmon isn't getting the respect he deserves on Kiper's big board. Although he gives up a few inches, his production trumps Green or Jones' and he can be an impact rookie like Anquan Boldin or Hakeem Nicks.

15. Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA

When production, talent and size combined at the linebacker position you have Akeem Ayers. The massive UCLA backer is a very similar OLB prospect to Brian Cushing.

16. Drake Nevis, DT, LSU

Kiper is right in ranking Nevis where he has him. Being undersized looks like it will hurt him in the draft, but if you watch the film, you see big-time play.

17. Nate Solder, OT, Colorado

Kiper has four tackles slammed in five spots, clearly he isn't sure who he likes the most yet. Solder has the size and smarts teams look for.

18. Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College

Castonzo has been off-and-on throughout his career which is why he is hard to project, but when he's on his game he's a top 25 talent.

19. Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa

At the start of the year, Kiper had Clayborn in his top 10 but a lack of production has resulted in a big drop. He's still a top-tier prospect though and Iowa guys have a high success rate in the NFL.

20. Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State

Kiper doesn't give Sherrod rave reviews, but he is a good athlete and a SEC success goes a long way in the NFL Draft.

21. Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin

Carimi looks like he has the highest cieling of all the tackle prospects, which is why it's surprising Kiper has him as his forth guy. Great run blocker.

22. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama

Injuries and a split backfield have resulted in a lackluster Heisman tour for Ingram. Teams may be worried he's coming into the league banged up, but he's explosive running style is hard to ignore.

23. Jake Locker, QB, Washington

It's a surprise Locker is still on the Big Board with the way he's played this year, but there are still plenty of teams interested in him as a first round talent.

24. Rahim Moore, S, UCLA

Teams tested Moore in 2009, which resulted in them being deathly afraid in 2010. He's the highest rated safety and may get drafted much higher than this ranking.

25. Janoris Jenkins, CB, Florida

Jenkins is the newest addition to Kiper's Big Board. He likes that Jenkins comes from a good system and has everything a corner needs physically.

brad7686 wrote:I'm gonna go on record saying I like Julio Jones. But if Cam Newton is the next Mike Vick you have take him if he's there.

how do you ... never mind - some of you guys are really way in front of me -

why not - what could go wrong with taking this kid

are you guys, f'ing serious?

P A T I E N C E - Scot & Jay's goal here is to make this franchise better - it will take time they understand the need to change to primarily building through the draft - plus have some luck go their way